I recently visited Sanghar, my home-town in Sindh, and went to see my old elementary school, commonly known as ‘PC School’ among the locals. What I saw left me shocked, nostalgic and outraged. The school that once stood with pride has completely disappeared; only a dilapidated building remains.
Back in the early 1980s, the school was known for its excellence in education. What made it unique was its association with the Teachers Training College (TTC) in Sanghar, the only such institution in the entire district. It was a centre for practicums: trainee teachers would come to deliver practice lessons with beautiful educational posters and charts.
The school had a large playground, tall trees and a strong sense of community. Now, this place is used for keeping livestock and storing forages. The TTC has not survived either. In its place stands only an unfinished structure, while the college has reportedly been shifted to a hostel building somewhere.
The sights and sounds of the area were deeply painful to me. As an alumnus, I was disheartened to see how an excellent school had been destroyed and allowed to deteriorate.
The authorities should rebuild the school, not only for the benefit of the local community, but also for the future of education and teacher training in Sanghar.
HABIB HYDER LAGHARI
EDMONTON, CANADA
